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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26447932">Play Date</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwallowsSong/pseuds/SwallowsSong'>SwallowsSong</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Criminal Minds (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Children, Gen, Hotch and Alex as mom and dad, Spencer Reid having a happy childhood, Swearing, themetaphorgirl's psolc AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:02:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,982</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26447932</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwallowsSong/pseuds/SwallowsSong</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave thinks Spencer needs some friends his own age. The Big Kid Squad agrees. Spencer does not.<br/>or<br/>The one where Hotch and Alex take Spencer to the playground and nothing bad happens for once.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>139</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Play Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24442195">Patron Saint of Lost Causes</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/themetaphorgirl/pseuds/themetaphorgirl">themetaphorgirl</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Big thanks to the wonderful, amazing, talented, Caitlin (themetaphorgirl) for letting me play in her sandbox! Again!<br/>Peep her tumblr for a good time and so much psolc content that your heart will do the squeezy thing. </p><p>This work is based in her Patron Saints AU (Patron Saint of Lost Causes), which is AMAZING and YOU SHOULD READ. The world she's created is one of a kind.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The idea was Dave’s, actually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you ever feel like our kid should hang out with kids his own age?” Was what he said, quietly, with a smirk on his lips. He had turned his eyes to Spencer, who was helping Emily with her math homework a table over. No one batted an eye over the fact that he referred to Spencer as “our kid.” They all felt exactly the same way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pensive moment in which they all turned to look at the sight. Emily had her face in her hands, but Spencer was excitedly rambling about angles and functions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right,” Alex said, suddenly opening her laptop, “you’re completely right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dave raised an eyebrow over his own laptop, pen dropping onto his notebook. “I was sort of joking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No you weren’t,” James said. He glanced over at Alex’s screen. “I agree, though. What are you looking for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex’s fingers clicked away, eyes scanning and searching.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch leaned over to look as well, abandoning the English essay he was writing one sentence at a time in his own fraying notebook.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are the other kids?” Alex mumbled, eyes never coming off the screen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“JJ and Derek went on a run. Pen said she had a project to work on, and you said she couldn’t bring glitter into the library.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She cannot and will not,” she affirmed, clicking her tongue and sitting back from the screen. “What do you think about that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both James and Hotch squinted at the screen. Hotch shrugged, but James nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know what that is,” He said, “We used to go there as kids, but it was sort of new and weird. I’ve heard they’re more mainstream in the bigger towns now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you looking at?” Dave said, finally giving in. He tilted the screen of his own laptop down, leaning forward towards them and gesturing for Alex to hand her laptop over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She passed it wordlessly, watching for Dave’s reaction. She worried at her lip, glancing again at Spencer and finding herself smiling as he flailed his arms around, trying to show Emily how her triangle should look with his bony wrists and elbows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He needed to eat more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An indoor playground?” Dave said, raising an eyebrow at Alex with a look she couldn’t place. “He’s already sheltered.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re popular! I take the kids I babysit over the summer to one all the time, and they love it,” she assured. “He has bad memories of kids his age, do we need to pair that with his aversion to the outdoors?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boys glanced between each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not going to want to go,” Hotch said slowly, turning over his shoulder to watch their youngest for a moment. “There'll probably be a ton of kids there. Maybe it would be bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe it would be good,” James said with a shrug. He took the laptop back from Dave and looked at the screen again. His mouth twisted into a frown, and he looked over at Alex. “This one is like at least half an hour from here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex nodded, giving him a small, guilty smile. “Forty minutes, give or take.” She waited a moment before she asked, “I was thinking maybe this Saturday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James nodded for a second, but then stopped as his mouth turned into a frown. “I’ve got that first aid training, I can’t drive you then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I know,” she said, face breaking into a wicked grin. “I was going to see if Dave would take you to the training, and maybe, if Hotch and I could take your piece of shit car?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Dave and James exclaimed at the same time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got a life!” Dave said as James insisted, “It’s not a piece of shit!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James’s call gained more attention, Hotch’s chuckle breaking the single moment of tense energy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, yeah it is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James frowned defiantly. “Listen, the shitbucket is a shitbucket, sure, but it's not a </span>
  <em>
    <span>shitty car</span>
  </em>
  <span>. There’s a difference!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there?” Hotch continued, clearly enjoying getting a rise out of James so easily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think so,” Alex added, grinning mischievously at the exasperated boy next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neither of you even have a car at all!” He insisted. “Maybe I’ll take my shitty car to my first aid training.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dave rolled his eyes, shutting his laptop and picking up his notebook. “No you won’t. You’re going to let Alex and Hotch take your car so they can win some sort of parenting award, and I’m going to take you to that first aid training.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex grinned at Dave as she shut her own laptop, standing to grab her bag. “You’re the best, Dave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a hot brunette in James’s trainings,” Hotch said offhandedly, shoving his notebook unceremoniously into his backpack. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not the reason! I’m a good friend!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Also, I can’t say I’ll go with you before I see what the RA schedule looks like,” Hotch continued, ignoring Dave in favor of speaking to Alex. “I'll have to make sure it’s okay with Gideon, I’m sort of supposed to be around.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three seniors gave Hotch a look that could have said, ‘are you fucking kidding me?’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you fucking kidding me?” Dave did say, “Gideon let’s you do anything. Gideon has gotten you out of class a million times this year.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not even a close guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Spencer,” Alex interrupted, calling over to the other table, “Em, come on. I’m starving.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer pouted up at her but grabbed his bag, throwing it over his shoulder so he could follow behind like a baby bird. Emily sighed as she all but threw her things together, scurrying after them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch hung back a bit, moving himself between James and Dave before asking, “Do you guys think this is a bad idea?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes didn’t move from the back of Spencer’s head. He was nervous, but hopeful at Alex’s plan. Spencer really did need some younger kids to play with. It couldn’t be healthy for him to only hang out with kids at least three years older than him all the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” James said quickly, watching as Spencer bounded after Alex, three steps to her one. “He needs some other kids to play with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, if they play with him,” Dave said. James and Hotch both punched him in the arm, one on either side, and Dave called quickly, “Ow! I was kidding! Damn!”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>They started discussing their weekend on Thursday, like always, and Penelope had her notepad and fuzzy pen at the ready.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so we already know James is leaving us behind for greater things-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to first aid training?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-Which,” she continued, not letting James stop her, “means he’s out of the family plans!” She scribbled quickly in her loopy handwriting. “So what are the rest of us doing? Game day? Arts and crafts? I bet if we really tried, we could use my glitter and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch spoke cautiously. This was the part of the plan he and Alex had discussed the least, and it was going to be the hardest. Getting Spencer to go with him and Alex would be fine, but leaving the other kids behind was not going to be an easy feat. They weren’t going to tell Spencer where they were going, not until he was in the car, so getting the other kids to back off would be a challenge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually Penelope,” he started gently, “Alex and I want to take Spencer somewhere on Saturday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer looked up from his place in Alex’s lap, the book in his fingers falling closed in surprise. “Me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex nodded, moving her hand to brush his bangs out of his eyes. “Yes, baby. Just you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, why does Spencer get a field trip!” Penelope accused, Derek and Emily nodding emphatically in her defense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to get out of here, too,” Derek said, “This place sucks on the weekend.” He looked over at JJ and nodded. “Right, Jayje?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>JJ simply shrugged, looking between Hotch and Alex as she spoke. “I guess. Why just Spencer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah!” Emily said. She tossed her phone onto the ground, missing the top of the table, but not moving to fix it. “Why just Spencer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Spencer said, twisting in Alex’s lap to peer at Hotch through his bangs. “Why just Spencer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James chuckled, eliciting a grin out of their youngest. He was the easiest to crack, so the responsibility of laughing at Spencer’s jokes usually fell to him. “Nice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a surprise,” Alex said steadily. Her grip on the child in her lap tightened just-so, and the fact that she didn’t give any more was an indication that she wouldn’t be if pressed again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penelope sighed at her lack of answer, flopping dramatically onto the table. “Well then what are we going to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>JJ patted her shoulder. “You could come with me to the dance studio?” Penelope groaned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then what am I going to do?” Derek said, and JJ smirked at him. “You can come too. You’d look great doing a </span>
  <em>
    <span>développé</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>développé</span>
  </em>
  <span> an allergy to the two of you,” he mumbled, kicking his feet up onto the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Penelope cried, popping up from her pout.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was all it took.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop it! Jesus you guys, okay,” Dave had hit his ‘arguing children’ for the night. “I’m taking James to his nerd training, and then I’ll take you guys to Target. Just stop arguing. Stop whining.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Derek, Penelope,Emily, and JJ cheered happily, placated by the knowledge that if Dave was going to take them shopping, Dave was probably going to pay for their shopping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch chuckled quietly, watching how they bickered and teased. His eyes shifted to watch Spencer, buried back in his book as his head tucked under Alex’s chin. Spencer was so content to sit there, quiet and out of the action, that Hotch wondered for a moment if they were really making the right decision. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What if they took Spencer to the playground and some kids made fun of him? Or beat him up? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head quickly, shaking the thought from his head. It would be good. He had to believe that it would be good. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Spencer tried to wiggle away from Hotch’s looming figure in the small confines of his booster seat. “Stop, Hotch, I can buckle it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch dropped the buckle and took a step back. They did this every time they took Spencer in the shitbucket, or Dave’s car, on a rare occasion. Regardless of the fact that the now ten year old could  most certainly </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> buckle it, it was better to let him try and fail. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Spencer wanted to spend a full minute fighting a seatbelt, Hotch wasn’t going to stop him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I almost, ah, I- </span>
  <em>
    <span>damn</span>
  </em>
  <span>-” Spencer mumbled as his uncoordinated fingers fumbled with the buckle. His arms were not quite long enough, and his fingers not quite trained enough to get the buckle from his seated angle. Hotch knew this. James knew this. Everyone knew this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer simply refused to accept it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Language,” Hotch reprimanded quietly, though he didn’t mean it. Emily and Dave had ruined him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer tried one last time before the buckle slipped out of his hand, a frustrated sigh escaping him as he tipped his chin to his chest in defeat. “Hotch, I need help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex gave a quiet chuckle from her spot in the driver’s seat, watching as Hotch took the buckle and snapped it into place in seconds. He gave the booster seat a little wiggle, almost as if he didn’t trust its ability to keep their pseudo-son safe before closing Spencer’s door and taking his seat next to Alex.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you!” Spencer chirped from his spot, and Hotch threw a grin over his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You're welcome."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where are we going?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex turned to give Spencer a smile, saying playfully, "Oh, it's a surprise."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer’s mouth changed from his previous grin to a low-level pout. “But I don’t like surprises.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is a good surprise,” Hotch assured quickly. “Do you need me to navigate, or do you know where you’re going?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pretty sure I- well. Maybe pull it up,” Alex answered, adjusting James’s mirror again. It seemed to want to slide just out of place. "Just in case."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer seemed unsatisfied with their answer, but he didn’t pry again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch and Alex were grown ups. They said it was a good surprise. Maybe what Dave had told him was right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch fiddled with his phone as Alex turned the ignition, listening to the ungodly start of James’s engine. She checked the windows once more before pulling out of the parking lot, knowing how to get to the highway without needing Hotch's navigation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They drove for a while, Alex and Hotch talking quietly about classes and homework as Spencer focused his efforts on reading and </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> looking out the window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'd played that game and lost too many times.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they got off the highway and started into the bigger town Alex slowed, the breaks on James's car working just fine but giving a squeal of protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh god, the shitbucket is going to be the end of me," Alex muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why is Alex allowed to call it the shitbucket, but I'm not allowed to say damn?" Spencer complained, finally looking up from the book in his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose. "Because, Alex is seventeen and you're ten."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Emily let's me say damn." He countered, to which Alex sighed, "She's not supposed to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She lets me say bitch too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, no,” Hotch said, effectively cutting him off. “No we're not saying any of those words. Especially at the playground."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hotch-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Playground?!" Spencer squeaked, going a shade of paper white in Alex's rear view mirror.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were entering dangerous territory. Hotch had wanted to tell Spencer where they were going before they left, but Alex had disagreed, and now they were in too deep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh," Hotch said, "well-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't want to go to a playground! Dave said you were taking me to get ice cream!" The younger boy cried, betrayal heavy in his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, baby, it’s going to be fun,” Alex said gently, clicking on her blinker and changing lanes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said this was a good surprise!" He countered, “How could this possibly be good?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch turned in his seat, wincing a little as the world shifted around him, body now the opposite direction to how they were moving. “It’ll be good for you to play with some kids your own age. You could probably tell us better than we know. Brain development, all that stuff.” He shifted again to face Spencer better, swallowing at the discomfort he was suddenly experiencing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My brain </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>developed and it will </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>be good!” Spencer shifted too, in his booster seat. “Please believe me when I say I’ve tried. This is going to be terrible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll be better than you think, Spence. It will. It’ll be fun,” Alex said again. “I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch took a breath, waiting for Spencer to battle against them again, but the younger boy fell silent. Alex rarely made promises, and never ones she couldn’t keep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch sighed, turning back around to face the front of the car. His vision swung again and he groaned quietly, rubbing harshly at his eyes and taking exactly one deep breath as he felt the woozy car-sick headache creep across his skull.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we there yet?” He mumbled quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three minutes,” Alex said, her eyes locked back on the road.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three minutes until I’m forced into social interaction I don’t want or need,” Spencer mumbled quietly, tone no longer accusing or betrayed, but full of ten year old sass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How Hotch had ever thought this might be a good plan, he had no idea, but now he was forty minutes from school with a grumpy child and a sickly feeling that would probably take an hour to subside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jesus.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alex couldn’t stop the nervous feeling that spread in her chest as she guided a very anxious Spencer through the door Hotch had pulled open ahead of them. The playground was different from the one back home, where she took her tiny charges to avoid the summer heat, but also, it was also exactly the same. Slides. Climbing structures. Mats. That weird smell that sort of reminded her of the Chuck E Cheese climbing tubes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were kids everywhere, all of them between the ages of eight and twelve. She, Hotch, James, and Dave had chosen a time that would put Spencer right in the middle of the age group; the perfect age to blend in and be accessible to play with anyone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Twelve was just one year younger than Penelope, anyway, and they got along just fine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch busied himself with signing, or forging, whatever form needed to be filled out while Alex sat Spencer down on a bench that was out of the way. She dropped her voice low enough that she wouldn’t be heard by anyone nearby.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, darling, here’s the plan-” she started, but Spencer was quick to interrupt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want a plan. I want to go home,” he said simply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex sighed and smoothed his bangs out of his eyes. “I know,” she started, “but hear me out, okay?” She waited for him to give her a hum of affirmation, showing he would listen before she continued. “You are so smart, and so mature, but your brain has to grow in other ways, too. I want you to be able to play, and imagine, and pretend. So your brain is well-rounded, my darling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer was quiet for a moment before he mumbled, “I do imagine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, and you play with Penelope and JJ and Derek, but that’s different. You need to play with other kids your age. Just this one time. If you hate it, we never, ever have to come back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She waited for him to tell her no again, that he wanted to go home. That he didn’t care what she wanted, even though she knew that wasn’t true. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead he said, “Promise?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart sped in anticipation. Their plan was actually going to work. “Promise. Now there are some rules. Can I give you some rules?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded quickly. Spencer hated most rules, but when they came from Alex, they were usually designed to keep him safe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the incident, he’d do anything to stay safe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, first, you can’t tell anyone we’re from St. Thaddeus. Especially you. You’d be in what, fourth grade?” He nodded in affirmation. “Good, if anyone asks, say that. If anyone asks what school you go to, you make them tell you first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stopped for a moment, pulling a small piece of paper out of her bag and handing it over to him. “These are the elementary schools in the area. Whatever they say, pick something else.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He read them quickly, effortlessly committing them to memory. These were easy rules. “What else?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s it, baby,” she said, though when she saw Hotch walking up with his backpack slung over his shoulder, tired eyes and messy hair, she retracted. “Actually, if anyone asks who you’re here with, say we’re your brother and sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer’s eyebrows pulled together as he squinted at her. “Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because,” Hotch said, now standing directly next to him. He reached down to ruffle at Spencer’s hair. “Most ten year olds don’t have friends that are seventeen. They have siblings that are, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch turned his eyes to Alex, rubbing at the back of his neck. “We’re good to go. The lady said we can go sit in the parents area while he plays. There’s wifi, for your paper.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank god,” she said, pulling her bag up over her shoulder and holding her hand out for Spencer to take. “Ready?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hesitated a moment before grabbing her hand and letting her help pull him to his feet. If he didn’t like it he never, ever had to come back. Alex promised. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hotch slung his backpack to the ground at the foot of one of the chairs in the ‘parent’s area.’ He and Alex had brought their homework with the hope that Spencer would actually enjoy himself, but there was no way to know if that would happen, and if it did, how long it would last. The sickly feeling that had compounded in the car was starting to ebb, but he still found himself with his head in his hands as soon as he sat down, a deep breath escaping him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex’s body dropped into the chair next to him. “Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” He said, pulling himself back up to sit normally before digging in his backpack, “I’m fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he glanced over at her, she was smirking, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Hotch let out a quiet laugh, shoving her shoulder with no force at all. “Don’t even try, Miller. I was turned around in the car. I’m good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, glancing toward the fall she’s seen Spencer retreat to once they’d set him loose inside the play area. “He doesn’t want to be here,” she said simply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to be here either, but somehow, Dave is right. This… it’ll be good for him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch sighed again, pulling out his math textbook and spiral before looking around. Alex had busied herself with pulling out her laptop, and he casually pulled a bright yellow RedBull out of his hoodie pocket. He popped the top and took a sip, not sure if it would help the woozy headache, but definitely knowing it would help get him through his math homework. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me.” A harsh and pointed voice came over Alex and Hotch’s right side. The woman was exactly what Hotch would imagine the perfect PTA President would look like. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both teenagers looked up at her, and Alex nodded, “Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch took a second drink from his can, assuming Alex had it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a different watching area for… young parents with toddlers,” is what the woman said. Judgmentally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if Alex and Hotch were the bad teen parents of a toddler. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch choked immediately, coughing into the elbow of his hoodie while his lungs tried to breath something that wasn’t lukewarm RedBull. He felt Alex tense beside him, but instead of saying something helpful, she said, “Oh! Oh, no, we don’t have a toddler.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex!” He choked out between desperate coughs, “No!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” She said again, shaking her head slightly as if to clear the woman’s assumption away. “No, we don’t have any children. Child. No, um.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She floundered for a second, and if Hotch could have made a comment, he would have made a joke about the Queen of Languages at a loss for words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother,” is what he ended up managing, slapping at Alex’s arm as she nodded uselessly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother?” The woman said, an eyebrow raised at the pair of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, brother,” Alex said, lightbulb finally flickering on, “Our brother. Spencer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch finally took a deep breath, letting out one last cough before muttering, “Jesus,” and rubbing at his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman glowered at them. “Language.” Hotch raised an eyebrow, but she didn’t let up, and he finally muttered, “Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman took a moment before going back to her spot, face immediately buried in a magazine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was silence between Hotch and Alex for a moment before Alex said abruptly, “Do I look like a teen mom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch shook his head, cleared his throat, and rolled his eyes. “No, Miller, you don’t. Do I look like a teen dad?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chugging that RedBull? Definitely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>shut up</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was loud. Spencer watched from his spot along the wall as children ran around everywhere, yelling to one another and laughing. Alex and Hotch had abandoned him for the “parent’s area,” though he would argue that they weren’t his parents.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least they only sort of were. Only a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew what they were trying to do, and he guessed that he should appreciate the sentiment. They wanted him to have a ‘normal’ experience for once. But he wasn’t normal. He’d never been normal. That’s why all those kids used to smack him around and leave him behind back in Vegas. Why would this place - which was full of </span>
  <em>
    <span>germs</span>
  </em>
  <span> - be any different?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For one second, he considered pretending he didn’t feel well. That was one hundred percent guaranteed to get him out of there and back to St. Thaddeus. Unfortunately, that would also guarantee him being coddled and fussed over for probably the whole weekend, which he didn’t want either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He spent a while watching, seeing that most of the other boys were dressed in long sleeves and jeans or joggers. He was in jeans, which was normal, but his button down and cardigan were probably </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to help him fit in with the other little kids around him. They looked like they belonged there. They were probably with friends they’d known a while. Who wants to play with the kid in a cardigan who clearly doesn’t have any friends to speak of?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All he had to do was get through this playground session and he’d never, ever have to come back. Alex promised. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What compelled him to start walking along the perimeter of the wall, he wasn’t sure. He was so focused on not tripping over discarded shoes and jackets that he jumped when there was a tap on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah!” was called right back at him, a small grin on the little girl’s face, “Hi!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She beamed at him with a smile full of missing baby teeth, pale blonde hair pulled back with a ribbon like Alex would wear. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement, slightly out of breath as she bounced on her toes. There were two children standing behind her; one a boy that looked just like she did with short hair like his, and one a shorter girl with hair that was nearly crimson, tied in two braids, and stark green eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both regarded him with a certain level of hesitance, but the excited girl in the front showed no hesitation at all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you playing with anyone? I don’t see anyone, so I don’t think you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer felt his cheeks heat in embarrassment, though there wasn’t any sense of teasing behind her words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I- no. No, I don’t, well- I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Nell!” She chirped happily, not at all phased by his stumbling and stuttering. “My brother Finn, we’re twins. Twin and Finn even rhyme, so you can’t forget!” She continued happily, and the boy behind her nodded, not offering to speak, and looking a bit shy himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer didn’t know any other boys that were shy or quiet. All the boys that teased him back home were loud and rambunctious. Derek, James, and Dave weren’t shy. Dave was sort of quiet, but that was due more to lack of interest than personality. If he was enjoying himself, he was as loud as the rest of them. Hotch was quiet, Spencer supposed, but that was </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Hotch was grown-up quiet. He probably wasn’t quiet when he was a child. Just Spencer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And this is my best friend, Lina,” Nell said, never breaking stride and gesturing to the redhead behind her. Spencer had never had a best friend. “Her name is Carolina but she goes by Lina. Finn and I are nine, and Lina is ten. What’s your name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer stared at her for a moment before licking at his chapped lips, something Alex was trying to get him to stop. Nell didn’t seem to be teasing him. She seemed to actually want to know his name. She was smiling at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was it a trick? What if it was a trick?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m, um, Spencer,” he said quietly. His hands wrung in front of him, but not one of the three children in front of him seemed to notice. “I’m ten, too,” he added after a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lina smiled at that. “Really?” She asked. Her voice wasn’t as shrill as Nell’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mhm,” he hummed, nodding quickly, “Since October.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nell gasped loudly, a hand clutching at her chest. She reminded him of Penelope, in a way, though she was dressed a bit like JJ would. “Lina turned ten in October, too! Finn and I aren’t ten until February though. February tenth. Ten on the tenth!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn grinned, nodding along with his sister before saying in a small voice, “Golden birthday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer had no idea what a “golden birthday” was, but Nell was practically vibrating with excitement. He would have asked, but Nell was speaking again, words tumbling over themselves to leave her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to play with us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three children looked at him expectantly, and after a second felt his eyebrows pulling together. He could feel anxiety bubbling in his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” He found himself asking. Why would they want to play with him? Didn’t they see how nervous he was? Or that he wasn’t dressed like them? Or that he was weird?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What if they decided he was weird and made fun of him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because,” Finn said simply, stepping from behind his sister. He and Nell were taller than Spencer was, but Lina was shorter than them all. “We’re playing pirates and we need another boy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you were alone and you looked nice, so Nell said we should ask you to play,” Lina supplied, tugging gently at one of her braids with both hands. Her hands we’re looking for something to do. Just like his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He needed to say something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, the earliest documented instances of piracy are the exploits of the Sea Peoples who threatened the ships sailing in the Aegean and Mediterranean waters in the 14th century BC,” he offered quickly before realizing that spouting facts was exactly the opposite of normal. They were going to laugh at him. They were going to call him a nerd, or a loser, or-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know about </span>
  <em>
    <span>pirates</span>
  </em>
  <span>?!” Nell nearly yelled, astonishment on her face. She gestured desperately to Finn and Lina. “Finn and Lina don’t know </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> about pirates! Just me! You </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to play with us!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The speed at which Spencer’s jaw dropped could have set a record. “You… you want me to play?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three exchanged a look before Finn nodded quickly, and Lina grinned. “Yeah, course! It’ll be better to play pirates with someone that knows about pirates anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, come </span>
  <em>
    <span>on</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Nell cried, grabbing Spencer’s hand and pulling him behind her as she started to run towards the playground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes widened, but his feet matched her pace. He didn’t really like her touching his hand, but they wanted to play with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Other kids wanted to play with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He found himself giggling along with her as she pulled him towards the climbing structure, Finn and Lina laughing and running at their heels.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alex couldn’t focus on her paper. She’d tried, she really had, but her eyes kept coming up to scan the play area. She couldn’t see the whole thing from where she was sitting, but on her most recent scan she’d lost Spencer. He’d been pacing by the edge of the playground for a while, and she’d allowed herself to look down for just a minute. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she looked up she was gone, and she’d been on edge ever since. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Hotch,” she said quietly, turning to look at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked exhausted, as always, and was staring at his math book like it had personally offended Haley Brooks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex smacked gently at his arm and tried again, “Hey, Hotchner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up at her, foot shifting so it knocked over his empty RedBull can. He swiped a hand down his face before nodding. “Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t see Spencer anymore. Do you think he’s okay?” She shifted in her chair a bit, looking around again to see if she could spot him in his purple sneakers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure he’s fine. Maybe he went to go sit somewhere until the session was over. He wasn’t playing last time you looked?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex took a breath and shook her head, resigning herself to the fact that Dave’s idea was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> a good one, and she’d now subjected her baby to an afternoon of anxiety and discomfort. “No, he was pacing. Pacing, Hotch. Oh god, why did we do this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were trying to help,” Hotch offered, “It was a good idea, but Spencer isn’t a normal kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s going to be mad at us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. I’d be mad too, if I were him. We did sort of kidnap and lie to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Alex said, “Dave lied to him. I never said we were going to get ice cream.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch shook his head, shutting his notebook. “I meant that we told him he was going to spend the day with us. Just us. You know, we don’t really do that unless he’s sick. It’s usually all of us all together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex sighed and rubbed at her eyes. Hotch was right. Spencer had gotten a lot of their attention right after the incident, but as time had gone on they were trying to wean him away from needing either Alex or Hotch all of the time. Not entirely, Alex’s heart couldn’t take that, but enough for her to work uninterrupted shifts, or for Hotch to spend time with Haley without feeling guilty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now? They’d promised their attention and thrown him to the dogs. And he was probably all alone, sitting under some slide. Maybe he was upset or crying and they were sitting and letting it happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex stood up. “Let’s go get him. This was unfair, maybe we could try it again some other time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch nodded, bending down to grab his backpack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Alex turned towards the playground once again her jaw dropped. Streaking past and clumsily climbing up one of the ladders was… Spencer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were three other kids in tow, and she could just make out his little voice rambling and spouting off facts. Was he talking about pirates? He’d read a book about them recently. All four of them were smiling, and it almost looked like they were having some sort of make-believe sword fight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a loud gasp she clutched her hand to Hotch’s bicep. His head snapped up, a small squeak coming from him before he said loudly, “Fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>ouch,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Alex!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Language!” PTA Magazine Woman all but shrieked from behind them, “Honestly!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry!” He called over his shoulder. “Alex, what? What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look! Look Hotch, look!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look at what? I don’t-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stopped short as his eyes caught Spencer’s spindly frame, a wide grin on the ten year old’s face. He jumped off of the ladder and called something that sounded suspiciously like “Yar!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that… Spencer?” He said, disbelief heavy in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex nodded emphatically, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she was overwhelmed with relief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he… is he playing? With those kids?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she said, her voice catching as several tears started trailing down her cheeks. She swiped at them quickly. “Yeah, he is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were both quiet then, watching as Spencer and the others, two girls and a boy, ran around and laughed. Spencer looked happier than they had seen him in a long time, and when Alex looked over at Hotch, there were tears in his eyes to match the ones quickly rolling down her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Hotch said quietly, sniffling suspiciously and letting out a single chuckle. “Maybe this was a good idea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she said, nodding and clearing the tears off her face. There was a soft smile where her worried frown used to be. “I think it was.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>A chime sounded loudly through the playground space, causing Nell, Finn, and Lina to all stop suddenly and groan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer looked around in confusion. There was a flush on his cheeks, but not from nervousness or embarrassment. It was from excitement and exertion. “What’s that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The bell,” Finn said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It means it’s time for us to be done so the little kids can come in and play. So the big kids don’t run them over,” Lina added. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nell was grinning wildly, unlike the other two. “But the bell means we get to go to the ice cream shop down the street!” She gasped, loudly. She did that a lot, Spencer noticed. “Wait! Wait! Spencer you should come too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah!” Lina said. She had become less shy as time had gone on, but she was still far less loud and rowdy than Nell. They all were by leaps and bounds. “You should ask your folks if you can come with us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My… folks?” Spencer asked, eyebrows drawing as he squinted. “What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Finn said, pointing to the parents’ area, “Miss Graff says that you shouldn’t say parents, because not everyone has parents that take care of them. But everyone has folks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer felt a warmth spread through him at that, starting at the pit of his stomach and spreading through his whole body. A small smile worked its way onto his face and he nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he didn’t have parents, at least not at school. Not that could take care of him. But, by Finn’s definition, he definitely had folks. Alex and Hotch fit into that category. And James. And even Dave and Emily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” he said, “I can ask Alex and Hotch. They’re my… brother and sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nell squealed and took off again, this time towards the parents’ area. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer was right at her heels.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>He flew into Alex’s arms, sweaty and sticky and beaming. “Alex!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex wrapped her arms around him from her seated position. “Hi, darling. You look like you had a good time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did!” He said happily, “I really, actually did. I- I made friends, I think.” His eyes were shining, and Alex had to take a breath to stop herself from crying all over again. “That’s wonderful, Spencer. Are you glad we came?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” he said. He turned let go of Alex, throwing his arms around Hotch’s neck. “Hotch! We played make believe that we were pirates! No one stopped me rambling, not once!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch grinned, hugging Spencer tightly. “That’s awesome, Spence. You’ll have to tell us all about it on the drive back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” Spencer said, letting go quickly. He’d almost forgotten. “Nell and Finn and Lina were going to get ice cream. They told me to ask my folks if I could go too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex and Hotch shared a confused look. “Folks?” Alex asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer smiled widely. “Yeah. That’s what Lina and Finn said. Folks are the people that take care of you, because, well,” His hands clasped together, wringing in his grip, “not everyone has parents that take care of them. But everyone has folks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex’s eyes flooded with tears again, but she blinked them back, even if her heart felt like it was going to explode from her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, Spencer,” Hotch said quietly, giving Spencer’s slight shoulder a squeeze. “Sure, we can do that. We don’t have to be back until dinner time. Right, Alex?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded quickly. “Yeah. Yeah of course we can do that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spencer bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet, his fingers pressing against his mouth for a moment before he turned and looked around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nell!” He called at a little girl behind them. Alex found her hand coming up to her own hair ribbon as she spotted the one in Nell’s hair, a small smile tugging at her lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nell turned, a smile on her lips, and she pointed to Spencer before saying something to her mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother who just so happened to be PTA Magazine Woman. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh shit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Alex, come on!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Spencer dragged Alex over to where Nell and two other children were standing. Right up to PTA Magazine Woman. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is Alex,” he said happily to Nell and the others. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nell waved happily, the other boy and girl waving with less enthusiasm, but smiles all the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” Alex said simply, looking up at the woman with anxiety coursing through her entire body. She decided to pretend there had been no awkward interaction at all. That would work. “I’m Alex.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman looked at her with suspicion, then down at Spencer, who was beaming and bouncing with a happiness Alex hadn’t seen in a long time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nice to meet you,” the woman said, going along with Alex’s ruse. “I’m Hannah Clark. These are my twins, Nell and Finn, and Nell’s friend Lina.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Best friend, Mama,” Nell insisted, and Alex watched as the woman </span>
  <em>
    <span>smiled</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, Nell’s best friend Lina.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch had come up behind them now, his backpack slung over one shoulder and Alex’s now-packed bag over his other. “Nice to meet you,” he said evenly. “I’m Aaron. And this is Spencer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nell tugged at her mother’s hand impatiently. “Mama! Ice cream! Can Spencer and Alex and Aaron come to ice cream with us? Spencer knows </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span> about pirates.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannah looked Aaron and Alex over for a moment, and Alex felt her heart skip a beat. She’d scolded them on two occasions and originally thought they were teen parents. Which, Alex thought, wasn’t the worst thing in the world anyway. She’d judged them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, Nellie, if Spencer, Alex, and Aaron would like to come with us to FrostBite, then they can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A cheer erupted from the four children, and a flurry of movement left Alex, Hotch, and Hannah staring after them as they dashed for the door together.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, can I ask where your parents are?” Hannah asked them, eyes glancing at Spencer, who was sitting with Nell, Finn, and Lina at their own little table. They were chatting excitedly about pirates still, Spencer spouting everything he could remember and the three others asking question after question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch shifted in his seat, sipping at the coffee milkshake in front of him. “Working,” he said simply. He and Alex had a hushed agreement at the counter while they fought over who was paying that they would be vague enough to not draw suspicion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah,” she said. “Do they normally work on the weekends? We’re here every Saturday, and I’ve never seen you before.” Her tone was searching, and Hotch felt his eyebrows draw together as he went on defense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We didn’t know about the playground until Tuesday,” Alex said easily, sipping at her own milkshake. “A friend of ours told us about it, he used to come here as a kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been a great outlet for Nell’s… energy. And Finn has enjoyed it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does Lina always come with you?” Hotch asked, glancing at the out-of-place redhead as she listened to Spencer ramble about the size of different ships. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannah nodded, smiling over at the children. “She does. She has a large family. One of her siblings comes to get her from here on their way home from clubs or work. It’s been a good routine.” She glanced at Alex and Hotch now, raising an eyebrow. “Children need routine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch watched Alex nod, feeling something in his chest constrict.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” she said evenly. There was a moment of hesitation before she added, “Spencer’s incredibly bright, and he has a hard time making friends with kids his own age. We thought that this might be a good way to get him out of his shell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch took a breath, trying to release the defensive, annoyed feeling that was coursing up and down his body. This woman didn’t know them. She had no idea what kind of stress they were under. She didn’t know Spencer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt some of it release when she nodded, giving a very small smile to them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, if I know anything about my Nell, it’s that she can make anyone feel comfortable. Lina used to be horribly shy.” She nodded towards the table. “Spencer looks like he’s fitting right in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s a good kid,” Hotch said. “A great kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can see that,” She said. There was a moment before she spoke again. “I would like to apologize. I judged you earlier, and it wasn’t fair of me. It’s obvious you both love your brother very much, and any teenager that would spend their Saturday trying to help their brother any way they could is more than okay in my book.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex smiled slowly, nodding at the woman in front of them. “Thank you,” she said, and Hotch found himself nodding along. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bell on the door tinkled as it opened, an older girl with hair as red as Lina’s stepping through and grinning at the table of children.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Carolina!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ginny!” Lina called, dashing from the table and slamming into her sister’s side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The older girl laughed and waved at Hannah. “Thanks, Mrs. Clark! I’ll be dropping her off next week. Come on now, a stóirín, say bye to your friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannah waved as Lina chirped out, “Bye Nell! Bye Finn! Bye Spencer!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they walked through the door, bell tinkling behind her, Hotch could hear Lina say to her sister, “Spencer’s our new friend, he’s really nice,” and all of the tension racing along his body ebbed slowly away. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first half of the car ride back was a whirlwind of Spencer rambling excitedly, telling them every detail about his time playing with Nell, Finn, and Lina. He was hopped up on sugar and adrenaline, riding the high of Hotch and Alex’s assurance that yes, they could go back to the playground to meet with them next week, and yes, they could get ice cream at FrostBite after the session was over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time they had been on the freeway for ten minutes, he was sacked. His blanket was clutched to his chest as tiny snores escaped his chapped, sugar coated lips. Alex let out a happy sigh as she glanced at him through the slightly crooked rearview mirror. The blanket had been a backup plan in case the outing ended in a meltdown, but now both teens were riding a successful high of their own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They didn’t need to talk about it. Hotch and Alex both knew exactly how the other felt without needing a single word. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they pulled into the St. Thaddeus parking lot the sun was already down. Alex pulled her jacket tighter around herself and snagged both bags, taking Hotch’s so he could carry Spencer from the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to have to wake him up in like an hour for dinner,” he said quietly, shifting so that Spencer’s head was resting against his collarbone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex smiled and nodded, watching Spencer’s chest rise and fall peacefully. The stress that was so often reflected in his face and shoulders was gone, his hands still. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she said quietly, “I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked in silence for a while before she spoke again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dave was right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A miracle,” Hotch said, and they both laughed quietly. “Did you think you’d be spending the Saturdays of your senior year going on playdates?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head, letting out another quiet laugh. “No way. I figured I’d work in the library. Hang out with James and Dave. Apply to colleges.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch hummed in agreement. “I’m going to have to talk to Gideon about not being around on Saturdays. At least some of them. You know, when we’re taking him out there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they got to the door of Lincoln House, Alex looked at Hotch and smiled. “They’re going to grill us. Penelope is going to freak out, she’ll be so excited.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No kidding. They love him. We all do,” Hotch said, stepping over the threshold and shifting Spencer so he could start up the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex watched his back for a moment before she said quietly, “Yeah. We sure do.”</span>
</p>
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